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Area residents react to mass shootings

By Rachel Foor 4 min read

With mass shootings becoming a near-daily occurrence in the United States, many area residents point to stricter regulations and better mental health services as possible solutions.

"It's gotten pretty bad. You don't see this in other countries," said Joe Lazazzera, a Penn State Altoona student. "It's out of my expertise, but something needs to be done."

In the U.S. in 2022, there were 647 mass shootings, which are characterized by having at least three or four injured/killed, not including the shooter, according to the Gun Violence Archive. The total gun violence deaths -- of all causes -- for 2022 was 44,311.

Almost two months into 2023, there have so far been 73 mass shootings and 5,577 total gun violence deaths, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

Trinity McKeague, another student, would like to see better mental health services and background checks for gun owners at least every six months. She said she is "definitely scared" being in school and being in large open places.

"We need a better understanding of mental health so it can be determined who should or should not have a gun," McKeague said. "I come from a very rural area so me even saying that is a lot."

Gun violence is something that mom DJ McConnell says she worries about "all of the time."

With a daughter attending Bishop Guillfoyle and another going to Penn State Altoona, she said she'd like to see it harder to get an assault rifle -- "not banned, just harder to get."

"I think it's insane -- it's crazy," McConnell said. "Something needs to be done."

Retired undercover narcotics officer with the Pennsylvania State Police Patrick Purcell said that gun violence "has quadrupled" since he began his career.

"The states and feds don't seem to be doing a damn thing about it, or nothing major," Purcell said.

Ruth, Purcell's wife, said that the media can play a role and, while no one wants to see all of the mass shootings on the news, "if you don't cover all of them, then it's normalizing it."

"Then it's not news, it's life," Ruth said.

Both Purcells noted how mass shooters "are older now" and also said better mental health services were needed for people of all ages.

Student Kyle Leader suggested there being more steps involved in purchasing a gun.

"I think it's pretty stupid honestly, not everyone should be able to go in and get a gun," Leader said.

When asked if he ever worried about a mass shooting occurring on campus, he said that he was "sure there are people who worry about it."

Sanjay Deonarine, whose cousins attend Michigan State University where a shooter killed three and injured five on Feb. 13, thinks the world would be a better place without guns.

"There's no point in having a gun unless you're police or military," Deonarine said.

While he doesn't know an exact solution, Deonarine said he'd like to see stricter gun laws passed.

Chiru Gowda, a pre-med student, echoed those sentiments, saying there needs to be more gun regulation.

"While people can get them illegally, I don't think as many people would go to those lengths," Gowda said. "They want to be able to go to Walmart and get one the same day."

Originally from India, Gowda said that India's gun laws are not as strict as those in the U.S., yet it doesn't have the same level of mass shootings.

She suggested the U.S. schools pay as much attention to its students' emotional state as it does to their academics.

However, Gowda's friend and nursing student Grace Williams said that mass shootings and gun violence are a "problem with people and their mental health" and that others "want to put the blame on the Second Amendment and guns."

Rather than blame the gun, more focus should be put on mental health and passing red flag laws, Williams said.

"We're desensitized. We've grown up with lockdown drills since elementary school," Williams said. "Everybody is so quick to point at an inanimate object, not the person behind it."

For student Ella Hopkins, more training should be put into place to prepare people in case a mass shooting does occur.

"Gun violence is definitely a concern and more people should be armed and ready in case a shooting does happen," Hopkins said.

Starting at /week.